filmmaker initiates first case of euthanasia of an elephant in Rajasthan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 25, 2012 -- The end of the story in brief:

I am a documentary filmmaker located in Switzerland, just coming back Feb 14, 2012, after three months of filming in "Incredible India". 

I have shot 148 hours of material on elephants, the story of poor Sita included. The film should be finished within a year from now, I hope sooner.

I am not in the position to write an article myself. But I would be happy to give interviews by phone or any information you might need. 

We need to reach a high level of officials to improve things. I am seeking political pressure, but good pressure to put on the forest departments in Rajasthan and Dehli to make them understand that they have to change this situation for their elephants working for tourism. These elephants are suffering, carrying western tourists on their backs for sight seeing, and not receiveing medical care and attention for their injuries they inquire. Also, their living conditions are not appropriate to their natural habits and environments.

I assume that we will not be able to abolish the tradition to make elephants work for tourism, but we should be able to improve their living conditions drastically and fast. We should take advantage of the hour. The more that 100 elephants in Jaipur need an elephant hospital with regulary medical treatment and education for their owners and mahouts. I would be proud and happy of anybody who is willing to help.

Both front legs have compound bone fracture. They have tried to lift her up with a rope but Sita was too week to stand on her legs. This happend about two weeks after she was lying down and not getting up anymore. Sita had foot problems which they could not properly heal as well as a serious bone infection. The rest of the time, about six weeks, she was suffering incredible pain and lying down. As far as I know, painkiller was not regularily given, if at all, as well as medicine against her bone infection. The only painkiller given by Dr. Sunil Chawla from the Organisation Help in Suffer, whom I consulted first in this case, I have witnessed the two days before putting her to sleep.

Sita`s right back leg had a big open wound where they had put in a hose for to clean the wound. On the front right foot leg bones have been sticking out. You could dig the length of your finger into the leg.... I do not need to say more..
The elephant was lying six weeks on the ground, until she could be put to sleep by three doctors and in presence of the forest department in Jaipur on Saturday night 12. Feb.2012, with the permission of the forest Department in Dehli. The funeral of Sita was on Sunday, Feb 13, 2012 in the morning in Hattigang, Elephant Village, Jaipur.

This is the first case of euthanasia of an elephant in the state of Rajasthan, if not in entire India.

I am very happy to tell that the forest departments in Jaipur and Dehli have followed my complain immediately which I had to file on Feb 10, 2012. I could not save Sita`s life anymore. I have tried everything by contacting many many doctors, included the zoodepartment of the animal hospital in Zuric for medical help. Now I could only help her to be put to sleep. 

May her incredible suffering stand for the better welfare of all the other elephants, who should have properly medical care and (not !) work for tourism.

Article from daily bhaskar.com in the internet on Sita.

daily bhaskar.com
Jaipur: With consent from the forest department, mercy killing was done on a female elephant and it was buried. 
Euthanasia has been performed for the first time in the state in order to relieve an animal of its pain and suffering. 
Twenty-three-year-old elephant Sita was not well for the past two months.

In addition to this, she had a fracture in one of her legs. The condition of the elephant was so bad that it could not move and the pain was unbearable.

Shahid, the owner of the elephant, tried unsuccessfully to cure the elephant medically.

Finally, a medical team drafted a report about the incurable state of the elephant. On the basis of the report, the chief wildlife warden (CWW) approved euthanasia on the elephant.

The forest department officials said that it is the first time that mercy killing has been allowed on an animal. An injection was administered to the elephant for mercy killing. She was buried in Hathi Gaon.

With the support of crane its body was laid to rest in an excavation. "The state of elephant was not curable in accordance with the medical report.

Therefore, the department approved the mercy killing as per the Section 11 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972," said Ajay Gupta, deputy chief wildlife warden.

Elephant welfare society president Abdul Rasheed, owner of the elephant, Shaheed and forest department officials were present during burial of the elephant.


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Back ground information:
Dear Brigitte,
Thank you for your email describing the work you did to help put the elephant Sita out of her suffering. 

For some years Help in Suffering, with myself as managing trustee, conducted a programme to try and improve conditions for the 100 captive working elephants in Jaipur. Their condition was extremely bad, covered with wounds from the ankush, septic wounds caused by chains round their ankles, huge bare pussy wounds where the howdah had rubbed their flesh, standing in sun all day in pilkhanas which were not covered so the elephants, forest creatures, were exposed to heat of over 45'c during the summer months. Their feet were cracked and infected from walking on the hot roads.

We started a project funded by Elephant Family (UK) to improve conditions for the elephants. The funding from EF provided a mobile clinic, vet, and compounder, who visited the elephants every day, teaching the owners not to use iron chains, to use proper saddlery, to feed properly, etc. Working with the Rajasthan tourism department and the government vets, the government introduced new and improved rules to protect the elephants from the worst abuses. The ankush (iron goad with cruel hook) was substituted for a cane stick, the elephants were not allowed to carry tourists downhill (as it is bad for the elephant's physiology). The load was reduced to two people instead of four, and the elephants were not allowed to work during the heat of day. Furthermore, all pilkhanas (elephant houses) were required to be covered, so the elephants were standing in shade. Elephants in poor condition were reported by the HIS vet to the government and these elephants were not allowed to work until they had recovered. This provided a good incentive for the owners to look after their elephants properly.
After I retired as managing trustee and left HIS in 2007, Elephant Family withdrew further funding. The HIS elephant vet found employment elsewhere and I am afraid that conditions for the elephants deteriorated badly. If in any way you could help start the Elephant Project in Jaipur once more, it would be wonderful. The animals are badly in need of help. 
Thank you for helping the elephants and let us hope your documentary will be successful.

It is hard to promote it without having seen it or without having any knowledge of its contents but I would be happy to help find interested media here in Sydney if you could send me the full details of how you wish to help.
With best wishes,
Christine Townend, former managing trustee for Help in Suffering
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For now, I would like to thank anybody who took the time to read my complaint and might help thinking what we could do to improve the living conditions of the elephants in Jaipur.
Thanks. Brigitte Uttar Kornetzky

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